1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors and more particularly, to a multi-port electrical connector assembly having a plurality of plug-receiving cavities for receiving a plurality of mating plugs.
2. Description of the Related Art
Modular jacks are well known used in two broad categories of signal transmission: analog (voice) and digital (data) transmission. These categories can overlap somewhat since digital systems are used for voice transmission as well. Nevertheless, there is a significant difference in the amount of data transmitted by a system per second. A low speed system would ordinarily transmit from about 10 to 16 megabites per second (Mbps), while a high-speed system should be able to handle 155 Mbps or even higher data transfer speeds. Often, high speed installations are based on asynchronous transfer mode transmission and utilize shielded and unshielded twisted pair cables.
With recent increases in the speed of data transmission, requirements have become important for electrical connectors, in particular, with regard to the reduction or elimination of crosstalk. Crosstalk is a phenomenon in which a part of the electromagnetic energy transmitted through one of multiple conductors in a connector causes electrical currents in the other conductors.
Another factor which must be considered is that the telecommunications industry has reached a high degree of standardization in modular jack design, and modular jacks are quite small or miniaturized. Various approaches have been made to eliminate or reduce the crosstalk, such as providing different configuration of adjacent contacts of modular jacks, coupling various types of filters, such as a three-terminal capacitor or a common mode choke coil, to reduce or eliminate noise. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,399,107, 5,674,093 and 5,779,503 are examples of various connectors including jacks and plugs which attempt to address the problem of crosstalk between the contacts in telecommunications connectors. Outlines and contact areas are essentially fixed and have to be interchangeable with other designs. It is, therefore, important that any novel modular jack allow with only minor modification, the use of conventional parts or tooling in its production.
It is desired to improve performance of the modular jacks where crosstalk problems increase as higher frequencies are transmitted through the connector and which may be manufactured using conventional parts and tooling.